Friday, December 28, 2018

4Gamer has posted a series of end-of-year interviews with Japanese developers about their 2019 ambitions. Among them is Mega Man 11 producer Kazuhiro Tsuchiya, who has a few words to share about what's in store for the new year:

“In 2018, we were able to safely release Mega Man 11.
This is also a thank-you to all of the game fans. In 2019, I would like
to make steady preparations for what’s next, so there may not be any
major action, but I hope you can all watch over me with warm eyes…!”

Simply put, Tsuchiya is suggesting that 2019 will be spent preparing for the next game in the franchise. Although we probably won't see a major release in 2019, we can rest easy with the knowledge that something new is on the burner. As to what the next game might be... well, that's anyone's guess. It's way, way too early to call it.

I guess we'll just have to watch Tsuchiya with "warm eyes", then. Stay tuned!

This guy is really cool for having revived Megaman and his team!Thanks to him.in 2013, it was such a sad period with the canceled games... i supposed Megaman 11 sales weren't enough for next stuff and more goodies will come again..but apparently, if there is another game, it's all good, thanks man!

Pretty confident it's without a doubt gonna be X9. But I wouldn't mind it being MM12, 11 was fantastic and I prefer the classic series to be honest. They need to step up their game on the music though.... 11's soundtrack was among the worst of them.

I mean, he simply says he is preparing for "what's next" and hen goes on to say it is not major. I think assuming it is a straight up new MM game might be jumping the gun. For all we know it is just DLC for MM11.

I agree with Anonymous and Brad.EXE; Battle Network had a good battle system with the chips and how you move on the battle field (and how you could change it) not to mention style changes/soul unions/crosses. It was unlike the other rpgs of it's kind like Pokémon and Digimon. Plus I think the title theme is anything but forgettable. If you suddenly play it I would recognize it in a flash. But hey in the end we are allowed to have our own opninion ;).

@Kogenta3. Pokemon is not unique, It's basically Dragon Quest V and Megami Tensei with multi player trading and other connective attributes, brought about by gameboy tech inspired by virtual pets.

NO GAME IN EXISTENCE is like Battle Network before Battle Network, it is barely even describable, it's like an action, strategy, card, what even is the costum system, even that (how you level up) is unique.

The only thing Pokemon has unique to itself is the versions thing and that is a bad idea marketing ploy that takes advantage of exploiting slight changes between games to maximize profit off of people that are completionists. Mega Man should have never copied that one bad idea and it even started to do it worse over time, it is the worst feature of Battle Network even if it compliments Battle Network more than Pokemon. What BN should have done is allow trading and such through retroactive compatibility, that's at least not anti consumer and it would have avoided ANY comparisons to Pokemon (not saying you compared it).

Outside of battle, Battle Network is excessivly repetative and has been done before by every RPG in the industry. Running around on endless fetch quests... By the fourth game it was tiresome, let alone the 6th.

Not to say the games werent fun, I just dont think they were that awesome.

There is no need for two or three versions of one title, either. That was blatent cash grabing.

"Outside of battle, Battle Network is excessivly repetative and has been done before by every RPG in the industry. Running around on endless fetch quests"

What other RPG has players traverse 2 realms in which one has JRPG like random battles (I say JRPG but Wizardry) and the other exploration and puzzle solving only, before Battle Network? What other RPG has block puzzle elements in order to customize and as the only means to level up the character? How is activating a security system in order to lock down a zoo, burning an artificial plant virus to free a hospital's network functions, freeing a school from lock down and generally fighting off cyber terrorist groups among other things excessively repetitive fetch quests? Do you mean the liberation missions in 5, the party and mini game system in 6, what about equipping tools that allow shooting, punching, blowing wind and other things outside of battle, is that what you mean as excessively repetitive? I'd say the Soul Unison, Tag and Beast system but you did say outside of battle but I think the campaign format of BN4 was a major departure from the previous hence the hate it got.

"There is no need for two or three versions of one title, either."

There never was, I think you mean that for Star Force. BTW 2 versions is still a blatant cash grab unless it is completely reworked and has major differences between, which let's be honest almost never happens. Wasn't Black just a patched version (the game that started the trend in Battle Network)?

Uh I never said Pokémon was unique o.o;...If anything I tried to say Battle Network was the unique one and Pokémon wasn't. I also tried to say like that anon there is no game like battle network. It's just that people often compare it to Pokémon because it's an rpg aimed at kids but like I am trying to say it's not like Pokémon at all.

@Kogenta3: I know that, I was complimenting your comment by saying being unique wasn't all it was cracked up to be, because Pokemon which is quit possibly the biggest entertainment media phenomenon ever isn't unique nearly at all.

Basically to say Battle Network is unique compared to Pokemon is not that impressive. To say it is unique compared to Legend of Mana or something like that at the time on the other hand, but I guess it's more impressive that Mega Man didn't copy Dragon Quest to some, which is understandable. I know you also mentioned Digimon but that series really doesn't have much of an identity, it's all over the place, I guess at its core its a virtual pet series but eeeeeh that's kinda a stretch.

Battle Network should get an update of some kind. Maybe a collection, it has some of the best gameplay, game design and music in the franchise and RPGs in general. I've had so much fun with it. If not a Zero remaster would be cool too, bring it to Steam.

I think X9 is gonna be the next new game, I myself though wish for a new Battle Network (maybe with Lan's son as the hero and the original cast as adults using updated technology), Legends 3 or ZX game. As for 2019 I think they will release MM11 dlc but I am hoping for a Battle Network Legacy Collection with online battles.